


Courage is when we Face our Fear

by mw10749



Category: Newsies
Genre: Abuse, Child Neglect, F/M, Hurt Jack, Hurt/Comfort, Newsies - Freeform, Self-Sacrifice, The Refuge, broadway newsies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:40:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25565278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mw10749/pseuds/mw10749
Summary: Jack is faced with a difficult decision, but when it comes to his boys, there is only.one option. He is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his family safe, no matter the personal cost. Jack doesn't have many fears, and even though he knows that he is going to have to face the immense pain of his greatest fear, he knows he has to do it. The world has turned it's back on him since he was a kid, his father turned his back on him a few years ago, but will Jack be able to survive when it seems that the newsies are turning their backs on him as well? Will they ever understand? Will jack ever escape alive? To Jack the answers don't matter, as long as his brothers are all safe.
Relationships: Jack Kelly/Katherine Plumber
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

AUTHORS NOTE!  
I PROMISE THIS ACTUALLY PERTAINS TO THE STORY!  
This story will based off of a sort of mix of the movie and the Broadway musical. In this version Jack is captured in Medda's theater like in the movie, and also takes up Pulitzer's deal as a scab, although that's a bit different.... But other than that it is based off of the play!  
'Thinking'  
"Talking

\-----------------------------------------  
Wham!

Jack's head snaps back with a considerable amount of force and he is sent flying backwards down the elaborate staircase in Medda's theater as a police officer's fist connects harshly with his jaw. 

This is wrong'

Big men catch him at the bottom of the stairs. Jack tries to wiggle out of their grip with the help of the other newsies but unfortunately is too dazed from the punch and the blinding lights blaring at him from the chandaliers attached to the ceiling. 

'This rally was supposed to be good. We was supposed to win.'

Everything had started out great. The newsies were encouraged and ready for the inevitably hard fight ahead of them, but as soon as Snyder's face made its way through the crowd, everything changed. 

Now, being dragged away from his friends, his family, his thoughts were the only thing keeping him aware of the situation. 

'No'

With that one thought Jack fought harder, he knew how much rested on his escape. He couldn't risk his family, he couldn't risk the chance of not saving Crutchie, or Brooklyn leaving and loosing hope, and the Manhattan Newsboys without a leader. 

"No!"

These fears fueled him, but escaping gradually became less of an option and more of a wistful dream. 

The men holding Jack had become increasingly frustrated by his yells of "No" and struggles for escape and grabbed him harshly around his forearms and middle, hauling him out to the street. Upon reaching the ornate front doors the men threw Jack hard across the rough pavement and send him tumbling for what seems like forever until he finally comes to a stop at the hooves of a horse. 

Jack's head is pounding with the concussion that has inevitably resulted from the punch and the unplanned meeting with the pavement causing his ears to ring, but he can still hear the desperate cries from Albert, Elmer and Specs, and the grunts coming from Race and Spot as they try to make their way through the flying fists towards Jack. 

It takes Jack's disoriented vision a few moments to notice the horse standing over him. 

'ridin' Palomino's everyday...'

The ringing in his ears momentarily fades away as he is lost in his thoughts of Santa Fe. He can basically smell the fresh air and see himself and Crutchie tending to the horses. And above all else, he can see Crutchie running. 

Jack is thrust back into reality suddenly when the officer gets off his horse and roughly drags him the rest of the way to the animal. Jack is bound and thrown over the saddle. The Officer is yelling something at him, but Jack doesn't care, all he wants to do is sleep. The sounds, the lights, and even the pain from his numerous injuries begins to grow dull. But no, he can't do that yet. Jack looks back to see Race, Spot, Davey, and Les being held back by some of the men. Each of them sporting a different expression. 

Les looked as though he was hoping for Jack to pull off another miracle. Race looked about ready to cry tears of frustration. Davey looked worried, as if he knew what could happen to Jack if he was sent back to the refuge. And Spot looked down right murderous, but also resigned to the fact that this was out of his control. 

Jack slowly turned his slightly out of focus gaze towards Spot. "Keep them together. It's not just about the newsies anymore... Unite them." 

Spot pauses momentarily, stunned but not shocked by the concern Jack has for his brothers, when he is the one being hiked away by Snyder. Everyone knows Jack would do anything for us brothers. 

Jack barely has enough time to take one last glance. He sees the barely perceptible nod that comes from Spot as an answer to his plea, and the tears starting to stream down Les's face, and finally he sees her, Katherine, leaving the crude shelter of cardboard boxes she had been told to hide behind and running up to the scene, she is stopped just outside of the circle of cops staring helplessly toward Jack. 

Jack desperately tries to stay awake, if only to reassure his friends of his well being, but some feats are simply unachievable Jack realizes, as the black slowly takes over his sight, and he slips into oblivion.


	2. The Trial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Trial has finally arrived, but it’s not what any of the Newsboys expect.

That night the remaining Manhattan Newsies were in a state of panic.

“What if he don’t come back?”

“First Crutchie and now Jack...”

How are we’s supposed to strike without ‘im”

“I can’t watch him come back from the refuge again! I’s just can’t”

“Hey all yous needs to calm down! Would Jack want ya all acting up like this?” Race yelled the the bunk room of the Newsies cabin.

The whole room quickly became quiet and the somber mood seemed to become even more suffocating.

Race sighed, “Now I know this is hard for a lot of you’s, Jack is our brother, but right now we need to be strong! For him and for Crutchie!”

The lil’ ones seemed to deflate a little and the names of their two missing brothers, some having tears begin to shine in their eyes.

“Yeah this strike has been dangerous and we’s lost a lot on the way, but now the strike is more important than ever! We’s got to do this for the sake of our leader and our brother, Jack!”

The News Boys seemed to perk up a bit, suddenly not feeling as helpless as before.Pride began to fill them at the thought of their selfless leader.

“Jack has always done so much for us, now it’s our turn to do something for him.”

Determination. That’s the only way to describe the room now. Determination is swelling and pushing out any other negative feeling leaving room for nothing else.

Everyone owed Jack for something. Mush owed him for a few extra dimes when we was running too low to afford lodging, as did many of the other kids, spot owed Jack for being the one friend who saw past his tough exterior, Race himself owed Jack for his life as a newsie because without him, he would be on the streets, and above all else, they all owed Jack for being such a great leader.

Race, satisfied with the contentment in the room for now, starts walking around the room making sure everyone is okay. Since Jacks gone, the responsibility has fallen to him. Race sees Kathrine sitting in the opposite corner of the room with Davey and Les. They didn’t stay at the lodging house obviously, but they were frequent visitors, especially at time like this.

It didn’t take a genius to tell that they were all pretty put out. Race walks over to see what he can do.

“How’s ya fella’s doin’?”

No response, but then again he didn’t really expect one. All he gets are some shallow sad empty looks.

“Now I wasn’t really plannin’ on tellin’ everyone this, but I’s thinkin’ you deserve to know...”

Well that certainly got their attention.

“Jack is actually gettin’ a trial tomorrow, not that it’ll be too fair, but I’s thinkin’ maybe if we show up an show our support for ‘Im it might help a little, even if he doesn’t get set free, it might help for him to see our faces.”

Davey finally decided to speak up, “but they haven’t every given him a trial before. Why would they give him one now?”

Race gave a slight shrug. Then Kathrine’s small slightly strained voice responded, “it’s because he’s a more public figure now. If people found out that the Newsies union leader was sent to The Refuge without a ‘fair’ trial, then it would cause a digging in the practices and works around The Refuge that Warden Snyder would probably prefer to remain hidden.”

“Yeah well’s do ya agree? Ya guys wanna come tag along with me ta da court house tomorrow?”

Davey seemed to think for a second before saying yes.

“Can I come too?”

That was Les.

“Aw Les,” Davey said, “I wish you could buddy, but I can’t risk having something go south with you there, plus one of us has got to stay behind and keep all these Newsboys happy. You think you can do that Les?”

With a positively cheerful grin that seemed to make the room just that much lighter, Les smiles and happily states, “Absolutely! You can count on me! When you get back they will be the most cheeriest, happiest, joyfull Newsies you have every seen!”

They all Laughed patting him on the head fondly. The weight of the world seemed to be coming down on the Newsies, with Jack carrying the brunt of it, but with any luck, some happy determined Newsies could help him lift his burden.


End file.
